Influence of martensite mechanical properties on failure mode and ductility of dual-phase steels

The effects of the mechanical properties of the martensite phase on the failure mode and ductility of dual-phase (DP) steels are investigated using a micromechanics-based finite element method. Actual microstructures of DP steels obtained from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used as representative volume elements (RVEs) in the finite element calculations. Ductile failure of the RVE is predicted as plastic strain localization during the deformation process. Systematic computations are conducted on the RVE to quantitatively evaluate the influence of the martensite mechanical properties and volume fraction on the macroscopic mechanical properties of DP steels. These properties include the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), ultimate ductility, and failure modes. The computational results show that, as the strength and volume fraction of the martensite phase increase, the UTS of DP steels increases, but the UTS strain and failure strain decrease. In addition, shear-dominant failure modes usually develop for DP steels with lower martensite strengths, whereas split failure modes typically develop for DP steels with higher martensite strengths. The methodology and data presented in this article can be used to tailor DP steel design for its intended purposes and desired properties.